First Test 2013 at Trent Bridge - The game that had it all
First, there was teenager Ashton Agar breaking two world records in a day...on Test debut. The highest score for a number 11 in Test cricket (98) and the highest partnership (163) for the 11th wicket (with the late Phil Hughes). His unlikely knock meant Australia took an unlikely lead after the second innings.
Then, there was Stuart Broad's refusal to walk when England batted again. And if it was hard to believe umpire Aleem Dar didn't see or hear the edge that diverted the ball to slip, it's worth remembering that if Australia hadn't carelessly exhausted all of their reviews, it would never have been an issue because DRS would have clearly shown Broad was out. He went on to make a hugely significant 65.
But it was Ian Bell who top-scored in the third innings with 105, a reminder of what he could do when in the mood.
The fourth story was Brad Haddin's brilliant counter-punch, scoring 71 as the tourists chased a steep 311, made up of slog-sweeps, mid-wicket hoicks and vicious cuts.
But in the end it was James Anderson who had the last laugh. Coming back for another spell having already bowled 55 overs in the match, he got Haddin out with Australia just 14 runs short. Ironically, DRS was needed to show Haddin's nick to Matt Prior.
Anderson is the 13/8 favourite to be England's top wicket-taker in the Series with Broad at 11/5.
First Test Brisbane 2002- Nasser's shocker
Nasser Hussain's decision to bowl first made no sense at all. His explanation of 'I wanted to give my young bowling attack the best chance' made even less sense. With himself, Marcus Trescothick, the promising Michael Vaughan, the experienced Mark Butcher and evergreen Alec Stewart in the side, their strength was clearly in their batting. The obvious thing to do would have been to bat first and get as many runs as possible when the pitch was at its best.
Nothing went right for England. Simon Jones suffered a horrific injury, catches were dropped and Ricky Ponting and Mathew Hayden were in the zone, both hitting centuries as England conceded 492 runs in the first innings. It all made Hussain's decision to bowl look horrendous now, rather than merely strange.
Hussain once famously lost 13 tosses in a row; he surely wishes he'd lost that one, too.
England never recovered despite the best efforts of Vaughan, who scored a 633 runs in the Series, the first time in 32 years a visiting batsman in Australia passed 600. England did however win the final Test to make it 4-1, Vaughan once again the hero with 183.
1st Test 2009 at Sophia Gardens - Monty's magic
There was a lot of pressure on Sophia Gardens, hosting a Test match for the first time, to deliver a good match. No-one was disappointed.
Batting second, Australia's monster 674 included centuries for Ricky Ponting, Simon Katich, Marcus North and Brad Haddin. With a few hours lost to rain, it meant there was never going to be enough time for England to go on and win the match. But there was certainly enough time for them to go on and lose it.
Paul Collingwood, at his obdurate best, made a somewhat irrelevant 74 because of far greater importance was the 245 balls he faced as Australia tried to bowl England out on the final day.
Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann played their part too, Broad facing 61 balls and Swann 63. When Collingwood departed, there were 12 overs left in the match. The Cricinfo commentary at the time read: 'That's it for England, you'd think, with just Monty to come.'
But Monty (Panesar) was having none of it. Him and Anderson blocked, left, squirted and edged their way to safety with each delivery survived met with raucous applause from a jubilant Cardiff crowd.
'I'd give this back straight away for another wicket' said man-of-the-match Ricky Ponting of his trophy.
A draw in the First Test at Brisbane is 3.55/2.
First Test Lord's 2005- Test Cricket...meet Pietersen.
Australia came into the series as hot favourites.
Batting first, Ponting was cut on the cheek thanks to a nasty Steve Harmison bouncer as Australia folded for just 190. But England were out for even less (155) on a lively pitch tailor-made for the great Glenn McGrath. And when the Aussies batted again, half-centuries from Damien Martyn, Michael Clarke and Simon Katich took them to 384.
McGrath and Shane Warne made light work of England in the last innings, bowling them out for just 180, chasing a near-impossible 420.
Even though literally speaking it was Harmison who drew first blood, it was Ponting's men who did so metaphorically, going 1-0 up and making it look like there was no way back for Michael Vaughan's side.
But a look at the scorecard shows knocks of 57 and 64 not out for a certain KP Pietersen, on Test debut. The Lord's members could have been forgiven for wondering if they were watching this new 20/20 malarkey with Pietersen hitting some outlandish sixes as he top scored for England in both innings.
It wasn't the last Australia heard of him in the Series.
First Test Edgbaston 1997 - Nasser's blinder
It's easy to forget that five years prior to Nasser's shocker, there was Nasser's blinder. Against a top-drawer bowling line-up including Warne, McGrath, Michael Kasprowicz and Jason Gillespie, Nasser scored 207 off 337 balls as England posted 478, a stark contrast to Australia's first innings 118.
Batting for a second time, Australia replied with a valiant 477 but by that stage the damage was done. England needed to chase just 118 and did so with the minimum of fuss, losing just Mark Butcher in the process.
Hussain was understandably man-of-the match but Australia recovered to go on and win 3-2.
A repeat of that scoreline is 6/1 this time round, with an England 3-2 win chalked up at 10.519/2.